The best way to start the day

Category: Action

Most of the things we buy are wants. And we call them needs, but they’re wants.

Dave Ramsey

Isn’t it typical, I had a quote lined up for today for the Achievers Whatsapp group (Carers Not Sharers for the ones that don’t want to hear/read all the comments) and then something happened this morning that made me think of this.

I work inside our house, instead of the office attached to the house where the rest of the team work. That’s another whole episode, let me not digress.

This morning when I went to make my coffee – NO COFFEE. It was in the office, I took it there the other day when I saw a client. Yes, I drink different coffee to everyone else and yes, I am special and yes, I do deserve it.

So – at 5.45am I had to make my first really important decision of the day. What was I going to do? Now, I could have made tea. Yuck, not first thing in the morning. Or hot chocolate. Again, hello, the time. Or if I was really thirsty I could drink water. Or I could just wait to have my coffee. Or I could go to the office and fetch it. I only had to unlock a door, a security gate, a glass sliding door with a dodgy lock and a trelli gate with two locks.

I didn’t want to do any of those. But, I wanted my coffee. No, I needed my coffee. And, in any case, I have a second cup at about 6.30am so I would be going without two cups. No, I had to have my coffee. Not only did I want it, but I really needed it. So I went and fetched it.

Once I sat down at my desk, I got involved writing this and most of it was cold. I wasn’t even aware of nor got any pleasure out of what I had so badly “needed”.

So – what is it with us and this neeeeeeding things? We have so mixed up wants and needs. I wanted my coffee, I didn’t need it. We want new this and new that (and new people) when we don’t need them.

That brings me to how we are with what we want to accomplish in life – and the supposed goals we set ourselves, assuming of course that we do set goals.

I reckon unless that want is almost a need that will drive you, you have precious little motivation to do anything. Maybe then the answer is this:

Needs are things that keep us alive; air, water, food, shelter etc. Wants are the things that won’t kill us if we don’t have them, or we can get by with something less.

Therefore – your dreams, ambitions, attitude, drive, call it whatever you will – has to be a need. Else you won’t put any effort into it. Why else do athletes train like they do, musicians practice, writers ignore all the rejection slips? Because they NEED to.

It has been ages since I stopped writing Good Start. To be perfectly honest, at the time the reason for stopping was two-fold. Firstly, I thought the cost of hosting it was a luxury and secondly, being a cross between a procrastinator and a perfectionist, each post was taking me ages.

But I must admit, I have really missed it. Quite a few people have asked me about it, so I have to assume *blush* that there were a few that enjoyed reading it too.

So a recap of why I do it? Firstly because I love writing. I can think of nothing better than sitting writing away, I dream of the day when I can sit at my desk, looking out my window at the ocean. It doesn’t matter how long it takes to get there, or if I even ever do, what matters is how it makes me feel when I think about it.

Secondly, I like quotes. So I thought seeing as we are all dealing with such hectic stuff it would be nice to have a place where I could combine everything and add some positive thoughts. I am of the opinion that if one looks hard enough, that you can find good in almost every situation. Almost, I said… there are just some things like war and famine that are beyond comprehension.

It is so easy to bitch, moan and complain. And boy, when two or more moaners get together – wow!! Yes, you know, you are guilty of it too. But just as it is a habit to see the bad and moan about what you see, it is possible to change your way of thinking, so that you recognise what you are doing, change your behaviour and generally start feeling a bit better about things.

I challenge you to doing that for a week – every time you think of something negative, find something positive about it. If you can’t, email me at margie@focusis.co.za and I’ll see if I can think of something.

From the beginning of last year, I started a Whatsapp group called Achievers. This was the closest I could think of to Good Start and I post a quote there every weekday. The intention of writing Good Start again is to carry on from that – kind of a commentary or interpretation if you like. Not every day, I am not over committing again like last time. (I might be slow, but I do learn)

To tweak the anthro professor’s words, I am doing this for myself, if one other person enjoys it, I am happy. If one other person learns something from it, I am ecstatic and if it change’s one persona’s life, I can say I have lived my purpose.